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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. can — to be able to
  4. current — happening now
  5. suit — clothes
  6. game — wild animals
  7. current — of water
  8. ball — a great time
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a dance
  11. season — of the year
  12. game — a match
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chest — of your body
  15. current — electric
  16. chest — a box
  17. season — in sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. chest — of your body
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. suit — in cards
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com